First Blood To Liverpool In League Cup

Coutinho and Lovren join a list of 12 absent players including Daniel Sturridge, Jordan Henderson, Martin Skrtel, Divock Origi and Danny Ings, forcing Klopp to review his approach at Melwood. “That demands real fitness”.

“In this moment, with no centre-back fit, I think it’s a situation where you have to think about that”, he said. No excuses. We have to change for sure. I am responsible, certainly. “If we conceded another one that would have been a huge task”.

“If we’d scored one or two goals more then maybe [it would have been perfect]”, Klopp reflected. It is very frustrating.

Stoke’s preparation should have told them everything they needed to know about how to beat Liverpool but just in case Reds manager Jurgen Klopp has spelled it out for them.

“A big shadow for us were the injuries which don’t look too good”.

Despite yet more injury setbacks, Klopp will have been pleased with the resilience his side showed after their disappointing display in losing 2-0 at West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday.

“I was really angry a few days ago, but tonight I am proud because the reaction was great and it was such a hard game in all parts”.

“We have an issue with crosses, before we had an issue with set-plays”.

“The only thing we can criticise is our finishing again”.

Klopp is expected to shuffle his limited options for Friday’s FA Cup meeting at Exeter, and the manager has also admitted the club may look to add reinforcements in the January transfer window.

Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino was denied by a last-ditch tackle from Ryan Shawcross, but Stoke did finish the half with their best two chances as Marko Arnautovic headed wide and former Liverpool fullback Glen Johnson drew a good save from Simon Mignolet.

It was a curiously flat performance by Stoke and though Hughes had been pinning his hopes of reaching Wembley on winning the home leg, he is looking forward to the return at Anfield on Jan 26.

“We dominated the second half but we didn’t get that break”.